Joint and connector used therein



Feb. 11, 1958 A. w. RICHARDS 2,822,898

y JOINT AND coNNEcToR USED THEREIN Filed Jan. fr, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 0 @Il 21 5 v m/ w W lll Y n Y P 7 M M W/ llll|` M @A C wmmHlHlullA liu" ||I|Lll||. In

Feb. 11, 1958 A. yw. RICHARDS l JOINT AND CONNECTOR USED THEREIN Filed Jan. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2/ ,ARC/fsf? WMe/meas nited States Patent ce 2,822,898 iolNr AND CONNECTOR USED THEREIN Archer W. Richards, Chagrin Falls, hio Application January 7,1955, Serial No.480g503 8 Claims. (Cl. 189436)- This invention relates toV joints forwall panels, and other members to be connected, and' toa connector for usefin such joints.

As one of its objects, this invention-provides a joint structure and connector of a relatively simple and inexpensiveveonstruction wellsui-tedy for `use in connecting wall units and other members, and in which .the connector is movable to its engaged position simply by being ypushed directly into -a crevice or slot between such members, as .distinguished from joint structures Aand connectors of the `kind in which-the yapplication vof the connector requires .special tools or 'in whichqthe connector mustberthreaded endwise into `the joint.

Another object is tofprovide-a joint of the kind .above referred to comprising spaced-apart hook elements;l preferably hook-shaped flanges, and a connector 4having portions engageable in .the hook-flanges andial'sohavingfaprojectng retaining, elements extending between and beyond kvthehook flanges.

Still another object yis to -provide a .joint of the.V characterabove mentioned in which theconnector is aichannel- .shaped member comprising a cover ,strip Yhaving .anges engageable in the hook anges andia lockingistrip `retained in thecover strip and carrying theretaining elements.

A `fur-ther object is to provide such a jointstructure and connector in which the. retaining 'elements are resilient .and are preferably for-med 'by 'partially sheared portions of thelocking strip.

Yet another object is tovprovide a -joint structuregand connector `of .the kind mentioned'above. in which' the re- .tainingelements have holding ledges thereon and areA selfspreading for moving suchledges intoengagement with external portions of the hook flanges;

Additionally, this invention provides a joint structure and .connector ofthe character referred to above in-Which ,thesanges of the cover `strip are double-walled flanges andthe/flocking strip isretained in the cover strip by engagement. of its ange .portions in such doublewalled anges.

The ,invention can be further. briefly summarized as cons'istingin certain novel combinationsand arrangements of parts hereinafter described in detail and particularly set out'in the claims hereof.

In'the accompanying sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing building wallconstruction embodying the joint structure and connector of 'the present invention;

Fig; 2 is` a-hor-izontal section' taken acrossone offthe .jointsiof the :wall structure ofFig. l, the view being taken as indicated by'section: line 2-2 thereof;

Eig. 3 fis af transverse section taken across one sidefof La jointof the kind shown in Fig. 2 but'showing the joint .structureandconnector on a` larger. scale;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section similar to that: of Fig. 3 `but with :the connector omitted;

Fig. 5 is` azplan view ofthe connector in detachedrelation and with a portion of the cover strip broken away;

2,822,898 .Patented Feb. 1.1-, s

2 Fig. 6j is aftransvers'e sectionrof the connector taken on section line 6-'6-of` Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section through a portion of the `-wall-of Fig. 1 at ythe location of adoor frame, thesection being takenisasindicated by section line 7--7;

Fig. 8 isha` `=similar"s`ection taken a't the location of la window yframe an'dl as indicated by section line 8 8 o'f Fig. 12;

Fig. :91is atransversel-section ltaken through acorner' portion :of thei-wallfandfas indicated by section line 9-79 'shown Vin the .drawingsas being used for lconnecting wall` unitsvorzpanelso/'a walllstructure 1.1 which is here shown ascomprising: anJoutsi'de-wall 11a and a partition wallllb..

.Ther outside. *walllllacomprises av plurality of edgewise -alignedeuprightiplain-p`anels'-12, and a window panel 13'- `disposed betweenltlhe 'adja'centedges o'fa pair of the plain panels. Th'ef plain panels 1.2 and the window panel' 13- lhave their adjacent edges Vconnected by the joints -10 which will be presently describedr in detail. The partition wallfllb .al'sozcompris'esi edgewise aligned upright plain Lpane'lslZ-:and a..'dooripan'el 15 disposedbetween the ad- `jacentedgesfof'y a ypairofthe plain' panels. The window .panel '13'fcarriesa window frame 16 having`sashi17y therein. The door. panel lS Icarries a door frame 18 havinga door.' 19"'mounted .therein vfor :closing the do'or opening thereof.

The plain wall panels 12 which are here shownas'bein'g connected vthy' the joint. 150 comprise fa slab 20-.andirnetal ysurface sheets. 21 and22 securedato thev slab. on.` opposite sides'thereof. The Vslab 20 is shownfin Fig. 2 as 'beingxo'f la conventional cellular paper construction, and in Fig. 3 `thesla'b 20 is shown as being of. a` solid form, such as a :wood panel or auslab of brous :heat-insulating material. When the panels 12y embody slabs 202 made of the abovementioned cellular paper, the adjacent: edges of. two-contiguous panels -have `a vertical longitudinall crevice' 32-4 therebetween as-shown in Figs; 2 and 7 to l 0 inclusive. Whemthe slabs 20fof the panels y12=are of: a solidY type, as shown in Figs. 3- and-4, the adjacent edges of two contiguous panels have 'rabbet recesses 25 therein which cooperate in defininganoutwardly facing groove 26;

The: joint l0 canV be used on one or both 'sides of' a Wall formed fby the-panels 12,.but is preferably used! on both sidesthereof as shown in Figs. 2 andk 7 to linclu'- sive, so Yas to forma stronger connection between contiguous panels andy a connection which will resist relative swinging or buckling betweenthe connectedv panels.

The joint lcomprises spaced-apart hook elements 28 and 29 carried by the members to' be connected, in thisinstance. the panelsY or wall units, and a connecting` strip or'connector 3i) engageable with the hook elements. The hook elements-23 and 29y are preferably in the form of flanges ofa hook-shaped cross-section which are. formed by edgeportions ofthe metal surface sheets 21of the wall panels 12 .andcanbeconveniently referred to-merely as hookflanges.

Asshown in Figs.- 3 and4, the hook flanges 28and 29 are double-walled flanges whose parallel Walls 31 and 3-2 are vconnected by a convex rear connectingV portion 33 and define achannelrecess v34`- facing outwardly of the crevice 24 or the groove-26, asthe case may be, that is facingtoward a commonplane'in which the surface sheets 21V of thepanels` lie. The-hook'flanges 28 and 29 are formed on thefsurface. sheets'21 in an inwardlyioffsetrelation so as to lie inthe crevice or slot inwardly of the corumon plane of the surface sheets and with an intervening" space 35 between the walls 32 of these hook ilanges.

The connector 30 is preferably a two-part member comprising a cover or base strip 37, and a locking strip v.3 8, The cover strip 37 is a' channel-shapedstrip having "portions of the hook anges for retaining the connector Y in its applied position.

41 each comprise parallel walls `42 and 43 connected by a convex connecting portion 44 ,so as .to contain an out- 'iwardly facing longitudinal channel recess 45.

The locking strip 38 is also a channel-shaped strip ccomprising a web portion 47 and a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal edge anges 48 and 49 which are carried ion and connected by such web portion. The locking :strip 38 is also provided with locking elements or retaining lingers 50 and 51 tted against the webg39 of the cover strip and extending inwardly in the same general direction as the edge anges 48 and 49.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the cover strip 37 of the connector 30 is a continuous channel-shaped strip. whereas the locking strip 38 has interruptions 52 and 53 formed therein in alternating relation, that is with the interruptions 52 being formed in the edge [lange 48 and the interruptions 53 being formed in the edge llange 49. The locking elements 50 and 51 are formed by sections of metal which have been partially sheared from the ange and web portions of the locking strip 38.

Thus, as seen in Figs. 3 and 5, the locking elements 50 and 51 are formed by partially sheared metal which has been displaced from the interruptions 52 and 53, the locking elements 50 being formed by partially sheared metal which has been displaced from the interruptions 53 and the locking elements 5l being formed by partially sheared metal which has been displaced from the interruptions 52.

The locking elements 50 and 51, as thus formed, extend inwardly from the web 47 of the locking strip 38 `between the anges 48 and 49 thereof, such that the locking elements are in a staggered longitudinally spaced relation. These locking elements are of a length such that they extend inwardly for a distance considerably beyond the edge flanges 48 and 49.`

The locking strip 38 is disposed in the cover strip 37 with the web portion 47 of the locking strip lying against the inner face of the web 39 of the: cover strip and is retained in the cover strip by the edge flanges 48 and 49 being disposed in the channel recesses 45 of the double-walled edge flanges 40 and 41 of the cover strip. The locking strip 38 can be assembled in the cover strip 37 in any one of various ways, such as by forming the double-walled edge flanges 40 and 41 of the cover strip around the edge anges 48 and 49 of the locking strip, or by a longitudinal endwise movement of the locking strip into the cover strip. The locking strip is tempered or heat-treated after the forming of the locking elements 50 and 51 thereon, so that these elements will be springlike or resilient in character.

The connector 30 is applied to the hook flanges 28 and 29 of the members to be connected by engaging the anges 40 and 41 of the connector in the channel recesses 34 of the hook flanges with the connecting portions 44 becoming seated in the bottoms of these channel recesses. By the same inward movement of the edge anges 40 and 41 of the connector 30 into the channel recesses 34 of the hook anges 28 and 29, the locking elements 50 and 51 are moved inwardly between and beyond the hook flanges through the space 35. During the movement of the locking elements through the space 35, these elements are sprung or deiected toward each other,` that is, toward the longitudinal mid-plane of the connector, but when the connector 30 is in its fully engaged position, as shown in Fig. 3, the self-spreading resilient action of the locking elements causes them to engage external The locking elements 50 and 51 are shaped so as to have inwardly converginginclined at cam portions 54 and 55 thereon which act as lead elements and facilitate the insertion of the locking elements through the space 35. The intermediate portions of the locking elements 50 and 51 are shaped so as to form ledges 56 and 57 which engage external portions of the hook anges 28 and 29, such that the inner convex portions of the hook ilanges form abutment shoulders with which these ledges of the locking elements cooperate for retaining the connector 30 in its fully applied position.

When the connector 30 is in its fully applied position as shown in Fig. 3, the llanges of the cover strip 37 are seated in the hook flanges 28 and 29, such that the cover strip forms a strong connecting member between the adjacent panels and is retained in its connecting position by the self-spreading locking means formed by the locknng elements 50 and 51 of the locking strip 38.

Although the connector 30 has been disclosed herein as a two-part member comprising a cover strip and a locking strip, it should be understood that the connector may consist of only a single channel-shaped strip having edge ange portions adapted to engage in the channel recesses of the hook anges and partially sheared locking elements adapted to extend between and beyond the hook flanges and having holding engagement with external portions of the latter. The locking strip 38 with the cover strip 37 omitted would constitute such a onepiece connector. However, this would obviously leave an unfinished appearance due to the offset interrupting portions 52 and 53 shown particularly in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings, the connectors 30 are shown as being used in joints 10 which connect the door frame 18 with an adjacent wall panel 12. In this portion of the wall construction, the pair of hook flanges 28 of the joints 10 are carried by the door frame 18.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings, the connectors 30 are shown as being used in joints 10 which connect the window frame 16 with an adjacent wall panel 12. In this portion of the wall construction, the pair of hook elements 29 of the joints 10 are carried by the window frame 16.

Figs. 9 and l0 show a modified form of the joint 10 in which a connector 60 of a somewhat diierent form is used to connect the partition wall 11b with the outside wall 11a. In the connector 60, a locking strip 61 is used which is identical with the locking strip 38 but is located on the mid-plane of the partition wall and is mounted in a pair of double-walled flanges 62 and 63 which arecarried by a pair of sheet metal adapter members 64 and 65.

The adapter members 64 and 65 are strips extending in parallel relation along the abutting vertical edge of the panel 12 and, at their outer edges, carry double-walled flanges 66 and 67 which are engageable in the hook anges 28 of the partition wall panel 12. The adapter strips 64 and 65 are connected by a at sheet metal connecting strip 68 to which they are spot-welded, or otherwise suitably secured, with the connecting strip extending in spanningrrelation across the web portion of the locking strip 61.

The modified connector 60 thus comprises an adapter which is applied to the hook angesp28 of the partition wall panel 12 prior to the moving of this panel into abutting relation with the outside wall 11a. When the partithe door and window units of the wall structure 1l, this can be readily done since the connectors 30 and 60 can be disengaged from the hook flanges 28 and 29 by simply withdrawing the locking elements 50 and 51 from between the pairs of hook lianges. The withdrawal of the locking elements from between the hook anges can be accomplished by a suitable pulling tool applied to the cover strip 37 of the connector 30, or by wedging the connector 60 away from the adjacent wall panels 12. Such disassembled wall panels and units, and the disengaged connectors 30 and 60, suifer no damage in the disassembling operation and can, therefore, be immediately re-used in other wall constructions.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, it will now be readily understood that this invention provides a joint structure and connector which are relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which can be quickly and easily assembled for connecting various members or devices desire-d to be connected. It will now also be seen that the joint structure and connector provided by this invention will aiord a strong connection between wall panels or units, or other members connected thereby, and will also permit quick and easy disassembly of the connected members with the various components in an undamaged condition and ready for immediate re-use. Additionally, it will be seen that the characteristics of the joint structure and connector of this invention are such that the connector is adapted to be assembled by a direct forward movement of the connector into the crevice or slot between the adjacent portions of the members to be connected, and that this assembly operation can be carried out quickly and easily and without need for any special tools nor any threading of the connector endwise thereof into the joint crevice as has been required heretofore in various other joint structures.

Although the joint structure and connector of this invention have been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope, but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A joint of the character described comprising, a pair of spaced substantially coexten-ding hook elements defining substantially parallel channel recesses facing in the same direction, a substantially channel-shaped connecting strip having a web portion spanning the space between said hook elements and substantially parallel anges engaged in said recesses, and locking elements projecting into said space alternately from opposite sides of said strip and having holding engagement with said hook elements on the outside of the latter with adjacent locking elements engaging different ones of said hook elements.

2. A joint as defined in claim 1 in which said locking elements are resiliently ilexible self-spreading elements.

3. In a joint of the character described, a pair of hook anges spaced apart by an intervening slot, connecting strip means having flange members engaged in said hook elements, and a plurality of locking elements carried by and a-djacent opposite sides of said strip means and extending into holding engagement with external portions of said hook anges through said slot the locking elements adjacent one side of said strip means being in alternate relation to the locking elements adjacent the other side of said strip means.

4. A joint as defined in claim 3 in which said locking elements are formed by deflected segments partially sheared from said ilange members, the locking elements deflected from one of said ange members being in alternating relation with the locking elements deiiected from the other of said liange members.

5. A joint as defined in claim 3 in which said locking elements are resilient and have inwardly convergently inclined cam portions thereon for facilitating movement of the locking elements through said slot.

6. A connector of the character described comprising, a pair of coextending nested strips one of which is a cover strip having spaced-apart longitudinal iianges and the other is a locking strip retained insaid cover strip and having a plurality of retaining elements adjacent opposite sides of said locking strip and projecting from the locking strip between and beyond the flanges of said cover strip with elements adjacent one side of said strip alternated with the elements adjacent the other side of said strip.

7. A connector for adjacent wall panels having spaced edge portions provided with rigid spaced substantially coextending hooked flange elements defining parallel channel recesses facing in the same direction, said connector including a channel-shaped connecting strip having a web portion spanning the space between ysaid hooked ange elements and having parallel ilanges engaged and tightly tting said channel recesses, and a locking member comprising a strip extending longitudinally of said connecting strip and having si-de flanges ltting within the anges of said connecting strip and having integral resilient retaining elements formed of longitudinally spaced sections extending from opposite sides of said locking strip and shaped to project between said rst mentioned channels and biased to spread into holding engagement with the hook elements formed thereby.

8. The connector defined in claim 7 in which the resilient retaining elements comprise a plurality of longitudinally aligned separate resilient members extending from opposite sides of the locking member strip, and inwardly from the connecting strip, and said retaining elements having their inner ends sloped to converge inwardly, and also having portions shaped to engage the hooked flange elements.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,962,826 MacDonald June 12, 1934 2,068,562 Murphy et al. Jan. 19, 1937 2,140,887 Tinnerman Dec. 20, 1938 2,165,412 Place July 11, 1939 2,275,119 Wiley Mar. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 381,771 Great Britain Oct. 13, 1932 

